Martin O'Neill offered his unequivocal backing to Danny Graham on Friday, as he prepared to thrust the £5m signing straight into the squad. Graham, a childhood Newcastle fan, has made some less than complimentary statements about Sunderland in the past but O'Neill said: "I have really no doubts that he will score goals and he will prove a great buy." Reading invested in a new forward of their own recently and now Brian McDermott must decide whether to opt for Nick Blackman or give recent super-sub Adam Le Fondre a start. Rich Flower

Match pointers

• These sides have played each other a total of 18 times in all competitions, with both enjoying seven wins apiece

• Sunderland have been responsible for three of the nine instances of a side failing to have a single shot on target during a Premier League match this season – one of these came in their last game against Swansea

• Adam Le Fondre has scored more goals after coming on as a substitute (six) than any other player in the division so far in 2012-13 – his last three goals have all been assisted by Hope Akpan

• Sunderland have won just three of their past 19 top-flight away games, but those three victories have all come in their last six trips

• If the season had started on Boxing Day, Reading would be in sixth place, one point ahead of Sunderland in ninth